Release 1607 failure

The newsletter asked if anyone received the upgrade through Windows Update. I did, and it was a forced upgrade. After a long time the processing stopped. I went to use the machine and found it wasn't able to start Windows. After a lot of searching I found my Repair disk and got the system back. Then ran sfc /scannow to replace the corrupted files. I set Wireless to metered connection to prevent 1607 being installed again.

Microsoft should be severely taken to task on forcing major upgrades like this onto its unsuspecting customers. I've no idea what the problem was, but I'll hang back from further updates until it gets its act together.

That is your choice but Microsoft is unlikely to change the update pattern for Windows 10. It has been well publicized that you don't have a choice about what updates to install with Windows 10.

Sometimes with other updates you needed to wait for a very long time for the installation to complete. How long did you wait?

Without you examining the update log file it is difficult to tell what the problem may be.

When I first noticed the blinking cursor on the blank screen, I thought it might be waiting on a process to complete. I gave it at least another hour, but nothing changed. I rebooted and got the same screen. That's when I realised it was stuffed. When I was able to get back to 1511 with the aid of the rescue disk, I checked the update log and there was no mention of 1607.

I understand Microsoft's reasoning with forced updates as they relate to security issues. However, 1607 is a significant functional upgrade and could have been made discretionary for a while, allowing users to back up systems and/or wait for feedback on its stability before proceeding with the install.

There has been a problem posted on the forum regarding a HP component causing problems with the upgrade, but I had the same problem of black screen and busy and nailed it down to a wireless driver.

My workaround was to upgrade using the latest ISO on a disk created from the MCT after updating the wireless adapter to the latest driver in the Driver Store as well as wiring up to disable wifi.

It still stuck initially on the restart at 75% but with the disk in, it recovered itself.

Previously when using the Upgrade now buttons, when it hung on the black screen with the busy, I power shutdown then restarted to be met with the message Windows is attempting to recover the installation but it was unable to, so I ended up restoring with a system image I'd created before embarking upon the upgrade.

At which point in the installation are you getting the black screen and busy ?

There has been a problem posted on the forum regarding a HP component causing problems with the upgrade, but I had the same problem of black screen and busy and nailed it down to a wireless driver.

My workaround was to upgrade using the latest ISO on a disk created from the MCT after updating the wireless adapter to the latest driver in the Driver Store as well as wiring up to disable wifi.

It still stuck initially on the restart at 75% but with the disk in, it recovered itself.

Previously when using the Upgrade now buttons, when it hung on the black screen with the busy, I power shutdown then restarted to be met with the message Windows is attempting to recover the installation but it was unable to, so I ended up restoring with a system image I'd created before embarking upon the upgrade.

At which point in the installation are you getting the black screen and busy ?

I wasn't following the progress of the update, so I don't know how far it had gone. I did reboot, but there was no message, just a blank screen and a blinking cursor.

The driver issue is another reason why Microsoft shouldn't be so cavalier with these significant upgrades. If they knew that this could cause hardware problems, they should have given a warning about the risk.

MS can't be responsible for vendors not continuing support for their products.

I think the last driver update for my Realtek 8188CE was 2013.

As it turned out, the MS supplied driver update of 31 March 2016 caused connectivity problems for me and I had to revert to the Win 7 one I had been using in 10586 which was for April 2013 - a one for Oct 2013 wouldn't work in 10586.

I can only assume that during the AU it had problems installing that one which was causing the hang.

Give it another go with a MCT ISO created media and then watch its progress.

As you aren't getting an error message as one member was where theirs was stopping at 40%, yours could be a driver problem as well, but given that freezing problems have been reported after AU and MS has advised rolling back until they sort out a patch for those affected in this way, holding off on it may be the best option.

MS can't be responsible for vendors not continuing support for their products.

Indeed so, but they have knowingly created a universe where any peripheral may stop working at any time - ie when an update arrives.

This seems to work well enough for phones which are much less "connected", but PCs aren't phones.

It requires serious assessment from a user's point of view - how can you plan tomorrow's work if the stuff may simply not work when you wake up ?

"Roll back" I hear you say . . . that means users are forced to be technologists, which seems to me to run counter to the general trend of the industry. Of course there will always be enthusiasts - after all they lead the way - but most of us just want to make the stuff work and for it to stay working.

If MS are looking to monetise Windows, I would pay to have a stable product which didn't move under my feet !

Yes, if an update does not work we can "simply roll back" to the previous functional version; but only if it got as far as being installed to a working state. If not, there will be many users out there who will be literally "stuck"!!

And if you do "roll back", Update will try to download and re-install the very update that caused the problem in the first place! Many users out there will not have any idea what "tricks" are available to delay installation of updates.

Personally, I like Windows 10 very much (and run a second Insider version in a VM to play with), but it seems to be proving NOT to be as user-friendly as earlier versions. Perhaps many will disagree with me on this ...

MS can't be responsible for vendors not continuing support for their products.

How am I to know a driver may need updating? I'd no idea how major this upgrade was supposed to be. What is it? Windows 11?

All I know is the upgrade didn't succeed. I have no evidence to say why it didn't, and I've no intention of risking it again. I'm a techie but I also have a business to run, and I can't afford to waste time sorting out undeserved problems MS has given me.

The reason I knew it was a wireless driver problem was because after the upgrade I kept getting a yellow alert on the wifi icon, so I went to Device Manager - expanded Network adapters - right clicked on the Wireless adapter and selected Update driver software - Browse my computer - Let me pick... and in there I saw a driver for 2015 which I assumed the 10586 upgrade had installed.

There were two others, one for April 2013 and for Oct 2013.

I found the 2015 one wouldn't work in 10586 and giving me the same black screen and busy after the reboot, so I installed that one, wired up and upgraded with the newer Win 10 ISO.

Later I was still getting wifi problems and had to revert to the April 2013 one which I'd been using but found the 2015 one superseded to one dated 31 March 2016 and that is what I think was causing the hang.

At some point in time you are going to be faced with this again, however, by the time you get the update again, MS may have ironed out the bugs in it - but you could still face the same problem later.